Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 130, folder 12: Heinz Harmel

HARMEL, Brigade further Heinz German (Major General) CO 10, SS-=Panzer Division "Frundsberg"

Box 130, #12

HEINZ HARMEL 22/11

Harmel drove about 20 miles from his HQ at Dienew. He had been called by Bittrich , the Corps Commander , to a meeting with Model at Doettinger. About 18.00. Chauffeur Cpl. Sepp Hinterholze.

Model asked, "What's left?" Bittrich told him the situation of the division.

Chauffeur had been his driver since beginning of the war.

Model told them , "The 9 th and 10th must be rehabilitated as soon as possible." He went from one to the other asking what they had left. He told them that SS "as far as material and equipment was concerned had to come from their own sources via their headquarters at Bad Saarow."

Harmel told Model that he was short of officers and NCO's.

After Model left, Bittrich , Harmel and Harzer had a general discussion. It was much more urgent to get the 10th refurbished. It was . The 9th was due to return to Germany. Model told them at this time that one of the divisions was to return to Germany. Bittrich decided the 9 th was to stay. It became urgent , therefore , hat the 10th needed rehabilitation. Was mad that 9th was remaining and Harzer leaving. Took 10 hours to reach Bad Sarow.

Leo Herman REINHOLD

Karl Heniz EULING

1 company of the SS PZ P ; Btl. 10 (4 Coy) crossed the Rhine just east of Arnhem with rubber dinghies - morning of the 18th arrived in Nijmegen - this crossing point had to be abandoned because the English occupied a bunker on east side of bridge - the crossing point lay within shooting range of the bunker - the other 3 coys went down to Paneerden to cross.

" Keiner uber 18" - everybody had to be as agile , active as a boy under 18 - became the Frundsberg slogan - everyone knew of it.

38 years old

INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL HARMEL- NOVEMBER 2 and 22, and DECEMBER 6, 1967

General Heinz Harmel was born in 1906 in Metz * He was an "army brat ”, that is his father was an army doctor. As a tiny child Harmel loved to follow the weekly military parade, wearing his miniature soldier's uniform.

In 1944 he was married to Irmgard ( Mliller ) and had two small daughters.

In the army Harmel was affectionately known by has men as "die alte Frundsberg" ( old Frundsberg ). He had had this nickname for years when he became the commander of the 10th Armored Division called Frundsberg. It had acquired its name later than Harmel. ( Frundsberg like Hohenstaufen is a name drawn from Germany's history in the Middle Ages. Georg von Frundsberg was a knight , who waged war in Germany and Italy. He was popularly known as "der Vater der Landknecht" ( the father of mercenaries), and famed for his just and equitable treatment of his soldiers.) Harmel had come up through the ranks to the rank of general. He points out that he always received the rank appropriate to the unit he was commanding after he had already assumed command of this unit. Harmel became commander of the Frundsberg Division on May 1, 1944. He was raised to the rank of SS-Brigadefuhrer and Major General of the Waffen-SS on September 7, 1944.

On the 14th of September , 1944, I assisted at a meeting with Model in Doetinchem , at Bittrich's h.Q. The main topic of discussion was our fighting strength, and the speedy rehabilitation of the II. SS-Panzer Corps. How quickly could it be rehabilitated? Model threw questions at myself and Harzer: "What do you have left ? How quickly can you get back on pour feet ? Etc., etc. How many officers, NCO's and men?” I think that our fighting potential was 1500 fighting troops in each division. Model went into every detail, trying to establish exactly what our fighting strength was, and we how could/best and fastest bring our fighting strength up to normal ?

-2-

Model was very short. He came up only to my ear. He was very sportive, lively and energetic. He wore a monocle and a leather coat. After he had spoken there remained no doubt in his listener's mind that what he said had to be done and fast! We did not sit down during this whole meeting. Model fired his questions and then, after receiving the answers, he burst out with: "Any other questions Gentlemen? Anything else? NO? So long then!” and strode out the door, jumped into his car and was off. Krebs had not accompanied him to this meeting.

The meeting had taken place at Bittrich's H.Q. in a small castle surrounded by a moat. It was on the edge of Doetinchem. I had come alone, driven there by my driver Hinterholzer. Bittrich was there of course, Model arrived in his leather coat and started things off immediately. Harzer was already there when I arrived. He was not wearing a coat. I was wearing a mackintosh. I had come from Dieren or Doesburg, I don’t remember exactly. The meeting took place about 18:00.

After Model had been given the facts there was nothing he could do other than order the speediest rehabilitation possible. He could not make any prescriptions concerning supplies and reenforcements. The Waffen-SS' men and material had to be requested at the "SS-Fuhrungshauptamt” ( Head Office of the SS Command ).

After Model left Harzer and I remained with Bittrich to go into the details of this hasty rehabilitation. Bittrich decided that we would get faster results if someone went in person to Berlin to the "SS-Ftihrungshauptamt" to ask for men and material. He chose me as his emissary. I don't know why he chose me rather than Harzer. Harzer had been his chief of staff before assuming command of the 9th Division and was still Bittrich's right hand. Besides, Bittrich always showed preference to the 9th Division because it had been his own division before he became corps commander. He was not consciously unfair but tended to give the 9th the cushier jobs. For example there was no reason why it should be the 9th who was to go to Germany for rehabilitation and the 10th